The Wave Machines

The kids in the East have begun looking to a higher power to enlighten their weekends. To be cleansed of their weekday sins, achieve a purity beyond all else in their quest for rollicking good times. Thy kingdom did come in Shoreditch Church and thy will was done by the creative folk behind Wave If You’re Really There. The sold-out event was the sixth in the WIYRT series and saw a jovial crowd arrive in their ‘Sunday best’ to enjoy performance art, spoken word pieces, dirty poetry, comedy, and music by Eugene McGuinness and the Lizards and Wave Machines.

With the church decked out in all things ‘Baptism’, an eerie yet ethereal atmosphere clung to the air and forced the packed pews to silence their clinking bottles and experience something truly unique. Warmed up by Karen McLeod’s performance piece on John the Baptist and Sarah Nicholls’ piano-led composition behind thought-provoking poetry by Nathan Jones, the audience was then treated to an explosion of nu-folk glory – a choir comprised of Post-war Years, Tuung, Lizzie Nunnery and Wave Machines stood like angels on the second-floor balcony. The perfect arrangement for such a venue, it was magnified only by Dave O’Dowda on piano, front and centre.

The devilishly delicious Salena Godden shot them straight back to Earth, tantalising with several self-penned poems and a song, and was followed by a creative adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood and everyone’s favourite, Pacman, from Ross Sutherland. And just when they thought it couldn’t get any more entertaining, out came the MUSIC. Eugene McGuinness and the Lizards provided more than their share of good tunes, starting softly before striking hard with their spooky brand of rock n’ roll, dashed with a hint of modern-day indie rock.

Momentarily suspended by David J’s rap poetics and dual spoken word piece by Sutherland and McGuinness, Wave Machines’ long-awaited headline set was feverishly devoured by the (now well-lubricated) crowd. The crowd stood atop each and every pew, greeting the Liverpudlians’ electro-tainted indie rock with unanimous cheers and every sense – so heightened by the evening’s entertainment – lapped up beat upon beat. Enter four girls in Ghostbusters outfits and the night was complete – bless thy heavens!

Words by Jen Wilson
Photo by Adam Morse